Feathers of a Red Crane
by RedCrane
Summary: This is the story of the love between two boys brought together by the powers of fate.  United in a past life, and reunited by the love they shared centuries ago.  Very fluffy in parts, but very passionate too. Give it a shot
1. Chapter 1

The sky was a surreal shade of orange, painted in areas with highlights of yellow and shadows of deep, rich violet. But the only color on my mind was red. Red was everywhere in my thoughts, in my heart. Everywhere I looked, there wasn't enough red. And What unnerved me the most was that I knew why: Ultimo. I missed him, I missed him so terribly. But the thing is, I was only walking home from school in the late afternoon, I had just seen him that morning. How pathetic of a male high school student like me, huh? But by now I've stopped caring.

There's not really much left to care about when you've fallen in love, everything seems to just fall into place. At least, that's what I've seemed to find in my experiences. It started with Sayama, a girl I met way, way back in elementary school. Or so I thought. As I got older, I found out I was...confused. I still really liked Sayama, I thought she was the girl of my dreams. But then there was my best friend, Rune, who I met at the same time as Sayama. Back then, my eyes were only for Sayama, but years later, I felt something when I looked at Rune. Back then, I had no idea what these feelings meant. I mean, there was no way I, Agari Yamato, healthy young boy, could be falling for another boy, right? Right...?

Wrong. Oh, so very wrong. I didn't know it then but very soon, another boy would come into my life (for the second time, I'd soon learn) who would change the very fabric of my reality. From the moment I stepped into Kokubundo Antiques to pawn my bag for a present for my "precious" Sayama, and I laid my eyes on the boy in the glass case, I knew there was no turning back. My heart belonged to him right then and there. Once again, I didn't exactly know I loved him, but I did know my life had changed, and would never change back. Complicated, very complicated. I still remember everything that happened, very clearly...

_ The boy with bright red hair, dazzling green eyes, and strange, huge red gauntlets looked so happy to see me, and he knew my name, but...I'd never seen him before in my life...right? _

_ "Nine centuries, Yamato-sama! Uru missed you very much!" he shouted, bursting out of the glass case he rested inside, sending shards of glass everywhere..including into my skin, much to my horrification. In fact, that was all I could think of, other than the fact that this boy named...Uru, did he say?...had the most dazzling smile I'd ever seen, and laughter just as beautiful as it chimed in the air, showing how happy this boy was to see me. I tried to get a grip on reason, and all I could think of was the fact that this must have been a joke. The old man who owned the shop must have dressed up his grandkid and put him in that case to play a trick on the first customer to come in. But I'd soon learn that was certainly not the case...no, this wasn't the case at all..._

As I unlocked my door I found myself smiling at the memory, and at the fact that when I opened the door, I'd see Ultimo again. A few weeks after that moment I first (or aprarently second) met him, I had realized that no one, not Rune, not even Sayama, had ever come close to capturing my heart as much as Ultimo had. I truly loved him. I still do. And I knew that was true all over again as Uru sprung onto me with a hug, and a bright, happy smile on his cherubic face.

"Master! You're home!" He chimed happily, laughing his angelic laugh. "Uru missed you!"

I couldn't help but smile a wide smile as I returned his hug, pulling his slender frame close to me, stroking his soft red hair, something that had grown to become a habit of mine.

"Hey, Uru," I said to him softly. "Are you feeling good today?" Uru looked at me a bit concerned, and I had to ask,

"What's up, Uru?"

He blinked, and his bright green eyes were still lit with concern. "You don't seem very happy today, Master. Is there something bothering you?" he asked me, and this time it as my turn to blink. I had to think before I realized why I may have seemed off.

"Oh!" I laughed. "Yeah, I'm fine, Uru, don't worry. I just um..." I trailed off. Honestly, I still wasn't used to being so expressive with my feelings, I still was used to being the average male, trying to be strong and silent.

"Just..?" Ultimo asked, tilting his head and looking up at me with his emerald eyes, which shimmered as always. Oh. That's right, I forgot. Uru hates when I hide things from him, even my feelings. Trailing off at the end of my sentence wouldn't cut it this time. Crap...

"Oh, um.." I began, oh so intelligently. Trying to salvage the little bit of the "cool and collected" front I'd tried to put up (without much success), I continued to say, "I just...missed you today is all.." God, it felt weird to be shy. That certainly was not the type of person I am. I felt like smacking myself then and there, right across the face, but doing that would've probably freaked Ultimo out, which I definitely did not want to do. I settled instead for sheepishly scratching the back of my head and looking away, but looked back when I noticed Ultimo was silent. When I looked at him, I saw such immense beauty that I nearly had to gasp: Uru's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, making his dazzling green eyes even more lustrous. His beautiful, oh so, so beautiful lips were parted slightly in surprise, but formed a small smile. He looked like I'd just made his day, no, like I'd just made his whole life. But just from me saying I missed him..? Maybe I didn't understand him as well as I thought, but at that moment I didn't care, because the next instant, his lithe arms were tight around me, and he said, in such a joyful voice that it made me smile,

"Ultimo missed you too, Yamato-sama! Uru misses you every day!" And when he said this, I thought that maybe I understood him better than I thought, because I found myself with almost the same expression as Ultimo had had just before. Emotions are...complicated, I guess. How the hell does Jealous read them accurately? Dunstan must be more of a genius than I thought, however crazy he may be at the same time.

Speaking of those two, and the other karakuridouji while I'm at it, anybody who had known me for the past few weeks would be wondering by now why I hadn't mentioned them, so I suppose I should clarify why I haven't. The truth is, we won. Ultimo beat Vice, we both beat Dunstan, good defeated evil. Just like a fairy tale ending, huh? But the only problem is, it turns out that while good turned out to be stronger than evil, the fact remains that good and evil are not as concrete as Dunstan thought.

Take Jealous the envious for example. Envy, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, is evil, no doubt. But what if envy changes to strive, and that strive is geared towards becoming or gaining whatever it is you were jealous of? As long as it isn't like what Rune and Jealousy did at the start of the Hundred Machine Funeral, then I would say that it's good, not evil. The key is the goal of self betterment. If someone envies someone because of their beauty or possessions, but instead of hating the person they're envious of, they choose to work to obtain what they want fairly, not hurting anyone, then how could it be evil? If envy becomes strive for betterment, then it's no longer evil. At least, that's what Ultimo thinks, and told me, and far be it from me to think he's wrong, especially with Jealous as the prime example, how he no longer is evil, it seems (though he still can be a jerk). He seems more..human now. He's not perfect, like Ultimo, but he has come a long way from the evil bastard he used to be.

But anyway, off of that topic, for now at least. After the hundred machine funeral, I've had enough of the other douji to last me for a long time. But not Ultimo. In fact, recently it seemed that I _couldn't_ get enough of Ultimo. I _lived_ with him, but it still wasn't enough. I always, always needed just one second longer, just one more touch to his beautiful face, or one more word to be said.

Apparently, my thoughtfulness showed yet again, because I received a light touch to my shoulder, Ultimo looking up at me with concerned eyes, for the second time in 5 minutes.

"Are you sure you're alright, Master?" he asked me. "You've been lost in thought a lot since you arrived at home. Is everything alright?"

Looking down at him, I finally couldn't take it anymore; as I'd said before, there just wasn't enough red, because to me, red meant Ultimo, and Ultimo meant the most happiness I'd ever found. I couldn't think of anything else to do, just like the time he'd been broken by Vice during their first fight I'd witnessed. I bent down and I kissed him on his lips, which felt as perfect as they looked. They were so, so soft, which I had halfway not expected, because he was a Karakuridouji- a _mechanical_ boy. But nothing about him said the word "machine", especially not in that moment.

That was when reality hit me full force.

I realized what I was doing and I pulled away hurriedly, much to the protest of basically every fiber of my being. I couldn't even look in Ultimo's direction, let alone at Uru himself. I couldn't bear to see the look of horror or disgust that just must have been on Ultimo's face. I wouldn't have been able to take it.

I turned to leave, muttering, "Sorry...Uru..." as I reached for the door, but then I felt a pull on my hand; Ultimo had taken it in his own, to stop me from going. I turned back around, looking at him questioningly, and found his cheeks to be bright pink. His eyes seemed to be a darker shade of green than usual, as if he were in a daze.

"Don't leave, Master..." he said quietly. "But...why? Why did you kiss Uru?" His eyes were fixed on the ground, but then flicked up to meet my gaze, looking confused, embarrassed, and...happy? No, that couldn't be it...could it? After arguing with myself over this question for a few split seconds, I decided to gamble, and tell the truth.

"Uru...I..." I began, having to swallow to clear my throat. "I love you."


	2. Chapter 2

I'd like to start off with a big thank you to my first two readers of this story, I'm glad you like it so far, Hana13 and loosenings! Your reviews keep me going^_^

I apologize is the romance seemed a bit too fast, it is just the focal point of this story, so I wanted to establish it quickly and firmly.

Authors Note: This entire chapter is in Ultimo's point of view, as you'll see below in the bold print. As we all know, ultimo often refers to himself in the third person, as either Uru or Ultimo, so that is th ereason he is addressed in the third person so often in this chapter; it is still all from his POV. In the future, the POV will switch again, and you will be able to tell who's POV it is by the bold print at the beginning of the chapter.

Enjoy the chapter and happy reading~3

**ULTIMO POV**

I suddenly knew what humans meant when they said their heart skipped a beat. I wasn't created with a heart-Dr. Dunstan did not give me such a handicap (or in my mind, such a luxury). But despite this fact, I felt as if my "heart" were going to burst. My spirit sphere felt like it had a pulse, and that pulse was like a staccato drum- fast and fervent, like a hummingbird's wings.

It was such a strange feeling, but I knew I'd felt it before: back when Yamato-sama and I had completed the pledge of devotion, in both of his lifetimes. When Yamato's warm hand came in contact with my glowing spirit sphere, the world seemed to spin. I am not aware of what pleasure is for humans, but as for myself, those moments were the most enjoyable I had experienced.

Until now. I still could feel Yamato-sama's lips on mine, making them tingle as if they were electrified. This was something I definitely was not experienced with, and for once, I felt uneay around my master. But when Yamato-sama said what he did, all feelings other than shock and happiness left in an instant.

Yamato-sama...Loved me?

Could it really be true? This was something that I could only dream of... Uru had never been in love before...I...didn't know what it was supposed to feel like. To want my master around all the time was something Uru always felt. But that was to be expected for a Karakuridouji, at least for me. Wasn't it?

But weren't Yamato-sama and I...closer than other Masters and Douji? Could it be...? Now that I had given it some thought, I..am shocked at how long it has taken me to realize. Uru loved Yamato-sama. More than a Page loves his Master, Uru loved Yamato-sama himself.

I had to look down, in order to try and calm my frantic emotions. But when I looked back up, I realized Yamato-sama had been staring at Uru the entire time. He looked afraid, and as if on reflex, I was hugging him the next instant.

"Uru.." he said quietly, as if he were surprised, but I had to cut him off, however impolite it may have been to do so.

"Uru...loves you too." I interrupted. And as soon as I'd said it I knew it was true. It reminded me of one of those romance movies I had seen Master watching over the time I had known him. I.. meant everything I had said. Those three words...I love you...they seemed like the most heavy, powerful words I'd ever heard.

Still, I was beginning to understand why it was that Yamato-sama seemed lost in thought so often, because apparently I had lapsed into a daze of my own, mulling over every thought that floated through my mind.

I didn't expect the second kiss.

It felt like it drove the air out of me (while Karakuridouji don't necessarily _need_ to breathe, being mechanical, we still are able, so that we can speak, which would be impossible otherwise). Yamato-sama's hold on me seemed to grow stronger, and his lips couldn't seem to be still for long, always needing to touch mine in a new way, each new touch sending shivers through me. I no loner could think clearly, it was as if master was pushing all of my thoughts out with each kiss. Was this...was this what Gekko-hime felt like when _she_ was with master, doing the same things that Master was doing to Uru now? If so, Uru can understand why she was so happy. The thoughts of Gekko-hime, however, pulled my scattered thoughts together, causing shame to lodge itself in my heart.

Yamato-sama stopped kissing me when I let out a small whimper, a sound of my shame, which I had not intended to let free. Looking up at Master, the look of concern he held struck me to my core, and tears pooled in my eyes.

"Gomen nasai...Yamato-sama..." I whispered out in a tearful voice. Master seemed confused, and he confirmed that thought when he asked,

"What in the world are you sorry about, Uru?" his face taking on an even more apparent mask of confusion. I had to swallow once, then again to clear away the lump that had arisen with the tears.

"G-Gekko-hime...Gekko-hime..." I repeated, each time speaking more of my grief and overwhelming shame, for having killed the princess in Master's previous life...and his previous lover. Uru had been taught by master that all members of the nobility were evil...but he..brought Gekko-hime, a princess back with us..Uru was so confused...When the two of them married, Ultimo could not believe what was happening. And after a short while, Uru's awareness...vanished. And she was dead, by Ultimo's hand, when I woke up. I couldn't...Yamato-sama, he...Uru was-

"Ultimo." Master said firmly, interrupting my rampant thoughts. I blinked and looked up to him to see his face just as firmly set as his voice. Ultimo didn't know what to say, any words that had been in Uru's mind left in an instant. Master seemed to notice, because he continued speaking, instead of waiting for me to respond, much to my relief.

"I have already told you that I forgive you for that. It was my fault for not teaching you well enough to see the difference between good and evil. I told you the nobility was evil, and Gekko-hime was from the high nobility, so naturally, you thought she was evil. I know I was very hurt by what you did...I was horrified that you could kill someone as you had, but..I forgive you. I don't want it to torment you like this. I meant what I just told you. I really do love you, Uru. Don't forget that, ok?" Yamato-sama said with a smile smile at the end, his eyes heavy with both sadness and sympathy for Ultimo at the same time.

Uru was...amazed. The guilt and shame had felt like a great weight that had been pressing on my chest, relentlessly. It was as if Master...as if Master had lifted it off of Ultimo. It still pressed a bit, I believe I will always be sad about what I did to the princess...but compared to how it had been before, it was as if it had vanished entirely, and it was enough to make me take a small, quick breath, a gasp. At the sight of the smile on my face, Master kissed Uru again, and my thoughts left my head all at once again.

Is this what it felt like to be a human? Or was this how it felt to be loved and in love? Somehow, Ultimo did not think that he would learn the answer as easily as he had learned about good and evil, which was not an easy process to begin with.

Master's kisses were, at that moment, all that Ultimo could think of.

-timeskip-

Uru woke up from sleeping after a few hours. Apparently, Master's kisses had not only forced Ultimo's thoughts away, but had also drained his energy. When Yamato-sama had stopped his ministrations to Uru's lips, which by that time had been tingling so severely it was as if they were buzzing, he had pulled me close to him, as if closer contact between the two of us was something he didn't just want, but _needed_. It was such a...pure feeling. Soothing and gentle, calming down the frantic "beating" of Uru's heart, but doing little to help the fact that my legs could barely support my weight, trembling and causing Ultimo to basically need to lean completely into Yamato-sama's body.

I had shut my eyes for what I had intended to be only a few seconds, but according to Master, Uru had fallen asleep nearly instantly. I couldn't believe I had been so tired out from something so simple. But what Ultimo noticed first upon waking was the fact that he was...happy. Uru is usually pretty happy, but when he woke from the dazed sleep Master had put him into with his kisses, it was as if the happiness were visible, tangible, almost as if Uru could taste its sweetness. I had not been so happy since I had seen Yamato-sama again for the first time in 9 centuries from the other side of the glass case in the Kokubundo Antique Shoppe.

Suddenly, Uru wanted to be with Master. I always want to be with Yamato-sama, but the need to see and touch him was..unusually strong at this moment. I got up from the couch that Master had laid me down upon after I had lapsed into sleep, and walked around the apartment, searching for my Master. Visual location was usually not necessary, because Uru can find Master wherever he is, but I did not think the situation was urgent enough to warrant the use of any other means of location except Uru's eyes.

That was when Uru walked into the kitchen, and discovered Yamato-sama at the counter, and Rune with Jealous sitting at the table.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Thanks again to all the people who have read this so far, namely my big sister, loosenings, and Hana13. All of you give me the motivation I need. Without you, this story couldn't be written. I love you all3

Hana13: Thank you so much for the praise you've given the story so far. By the way, thank you for telling me about the Ultimo Wiki, I go on there all the time, it's where I check my info to make sure it's correct. You guys do a great job!=D

Nee-chan: Thanks for everything=) daisuki * **hugs ***

**ULTIMO POV**

Immediately I sprang in front of Master, suspicion keeping my reflexes on edge and sharpening my tongue.

"Why are you here, Jealous!" Uru spat, keeping his guard up, prepared to defend or strike if needed. Jealous and Rune had hurt Yamato-sama many times in the past: Ultimo would not let it happen again. Jealous scowled and Rune looked as if he had swallowed something that tasted bad.

Suddenly, Uru noticed the hand in front of his face: Yamato-sama's. I looked up at him confusedly. That was when I noticed the amused smirk on his face.

"Calm down, Uru." he said with a small laugh. Ultimo could not have been more bewildered.

"But master-" I began, but I was cut off when Master said,

"They're not here to fight. Remember, Uru, the Hyakki Eiko is over. You and Jealous do not need to always fight anymore. And remember, he isn't like he used to be. And Rune is always going to be my friend." Uru blinked, and was struck into silence for a few moments, but then nodded, looking down.

"Yes, Master..." I hated the fighting instincts that had been programmed into me. Now that there was no fighting to be done, all they had become was a nuisance. They never felt good coursing through Ultimo, they made him much too...angry. Uru doesn't like to be angry. Nowadays, all the fighting instincts I had did was make me seem aggressive without reason. That was not good. Not good at all.

"Ultimo..." Jealous began, and I was shocked at the lack of hostility. His tone of voice could not be described as overly pleasant, but it was not the lethal, hate-filled voice I was used to.

"It's your programming. You were made to fight the evil douji and their masters. It isn't your fault that you reacted the way you did; your hostility towards me was natural. But that doesn't mean it was correct. I don't _want_ to be enemy anymore, Ultimo. Just like you, I don't _want _ to fight. The only reason I have to fight anymore, just like you, is that I have something...some_one_ to protect. I'd do anything to keep my Master safe, and I know you'd do the same for Yamato. So all I'm asking is for your _understanding_. I don't know if you can trust me yet, but...I do know you can relate to me."

All at once, Uru was filled with doubt, shock, sympathy, suspicion, and a small bit of hope. Jealous was right; Ultimo could not trust him, not yet, because in the past, he and Iruma Tomomitsu, and in the present, he and Rune, had said many things that sounded legitimate, that sounded as if for once, Jealous was telling the truth, and not manipulating emotions like a spider luring in its prey...However, he was right in another way, too: Uru could relate to him, very much so in fact. If what Jealous was saying was true, then he was reluctant to fight, just like Uru, and he had something to protect, something he would do anything for, just like Uru. But how could I be sure he was telling the tru-

"Ultimo, if I were lying, then why would Rune still be here? You saw me kill Iruma when he could no longer teach me, or try to kill him anyway. I have nothing left to learn, though. The Hyakki Eiko is _over_-there is no reason to learn good and evil anymore. Neither of us has a need for a master anymore, and yet here mine is. I have no "use" for Rune...I just want to be with him. If that isn't enough to make you believe me..I guess I just have to let time do it instead, and prove myself to you."

That was when Rune decided to add to the conversation.

", We're really not here to fight, Ultimo" he said. "I am undeniably...jealous of you and Yamato..." he paused for a moment, looking at me, showing that he definitely still could read emotions, which made Uru's cheeks heat up in a flare of red, as he looked at the floor.

"But..."he continued, "doing what I did in the Hyakki Eiko...won't solve the problem, will it?" That question was one that Ultimo know Rune knew the answer to already. Uru...didn't know what to say. This was something that I had...never expected to ever occur. Jealous did not _want_ to be Ultimo's enemy? He was created for that purpose, but...had defied the purpose he'd been given? It seemed impossible; I could not trust them yet. But...if the two of them _did_ prove themselves...what would it mean? Jealousy wants to get along with good? Just speaking the words sounds strange. I don't think the two of us could ever end up as friends...but then again, this morning, Uru certainly did not think that Master would kiss him when he got home, nor the fact that we would confess love for one another. I suppose that shows that the unlikely, and the improbable, can still occur, regardless of how impossible they seem to be. That was enough to make Uru nod in acknowledgment; the two of them definitely did have a point.

This seemed to please Yamato-sama, because he smiled down at me and ruffled my hair, something he knew made Ultimo smile, but also blush.

"Well now that the hostility's out of the way, and now that you're awake, you can eat dinner with us. If you want to, anyway..." Yamato-sama said. I blinked a few times, surprised at Master's timidity. Yamato-sama was usually a very strong person, in all ways imaginable, be it physically, mentally, or even spiritually. But today, Master seemed to be nervous around Uru. But why would Yamato-sama be nervous around Ultimo of all people, especially after we had completed the Pledge of Devotion, the Vow of Love?

Suddenly I realized I had become lost in thought again, something both Yamato-sama and I seemed to be doing in excess that day. I shook the thoughts off, preferring to worry over them later instead of causing more concern than Ultimo already had, and sat quietly at the table as Yamato-sama served out the simple meal of rice, fish, and stewed vegetables. It was easy to make, and one of Master's favorites. This fact alone was enough to make Uru love it as well.

The meal went on in silence for a while, taking on a hint of strained awkwardness. Rune and Jealous kept their eyes down on their food, as if they'd done something wrong, which we all knew they had. Ultimo did as well, however, because he too was at fault. Yamato-sama was the only one not guiltily eying his food, and he was beginning to look uncomfortable.

Just as Uru was about to attempt to start a conversation for Master's sake, Rune spoke instead.

"So, Yamato...where did you learn to make this recipe? I didn't know you could cook." The question, to Ultimo, felt loaded, but Yamato-sama just answered with a smile.

"Actually, I learned it from Ultimo. I remembered when he'd made it for me the first time, and I asked him to teach me. Mine's not as good as his, but it's not too bad, is it?" he said.

"It's delicious!" both Rune and I said at the same time, causing a meeting of our eyes. Neither of our tones were hostile, in fact they were happy, appreciative tones for Yamato-sama, but...Uru thought he saw a challenge in Rune's eyes as they met with his own.

**YAMATO POV**

Alright, I thought that maybe it was a _little _awkward eating dinner like this, but with Ultimo and Rune glaring each other down, it was almost nerve wracking. Maybe it's just paranoia as an aftereffect of the Hyakki Eiko, but whenever I saw looks like that on either Ultimo's or Rune's face, I always expected a fight to be brewing. Maybe it would be better just to end the dinner and take everyone out somewh-

"Both of you, knock it off."

A stunned silence filled the room, instead of the previous awkward one, all eyes on Jealous at this point. No one had expected him, after he had been so silent the entire meal, to come back with a demand like that.

"The point of us coming here was not for you and Ultimo to quarrel over Yamato. Ultimo, stop glaring at my master. Master, stop glaring at Ultimo. Neither of you are helping this meal to become the peacemaking event it was intended to be. For two people full of love, you seem to have a lot of stupidity as well."

After his short-winded rant of sorts, Jealous looked out of the window by his side, a not-too-happy expression on his face. I couldn't tell if he was just annoyed with Uru and Rune, or if he was upset about something else. I had to step in after this to prevent things from getting worse.

"Alright, everyone, calm down. Let's all be friends here, ok? This wasn't an invitation to a fight, it was to join up for dinner, that's all. It's not a competition or a confrontation." I said, feeling prideful on the inside at having just gone through another intelligent moment of mine.

"Sorry, Yamato..." all three of them said, Ultimo using Master instead of my name. Wow, I didn't expect _that_ outcome...but at least they weren't at each other's throats anymore.

When everyone had finished eating, I went to the freezer, taking out a big container of ice cream I'd purchased earlier that week. I served it into four bowls, giving one to everyone, watching Uru especially. I was very pleased with the results- Ultimo's entire face lit up and his eyes flashed with a joy-filled excitement. Somehow, I knew it; Ultimo loved ice cream.

**JEALOUS POV**

When we had all finished eating the dessert, Ultimo and I cleared away the dishes. It felt strange to do something so good, especially with Ultimo of all people. But maybe it was something one got used to. When everything was clean, the four of us went into Yamato's living room. Yamato sitting in an overstuffed armchair, Rune and I sitting on the couch. Ultimo walked over and sat on Yamato's lap, and I neither heard nor saw any sign of protest from him.

"Everyone up for a movie?" Yamato asked, picking up a remote from the small table beside the chair in which he sat. We all nodded, Ultimo looking pleased as could be, cuddled up close to his Master.

It almost made me sick...sick with envy. I looked over at Rune, my _own_ Master, and I found myself wishing that I could do the same with him. But he never would let me, his eyes only had time for Yamato. They never would pay attention to me of all people.

I would just have to suffer in silence...

**RUNE POV**

When the movie had ended, everyone looked a bit drowsy; Ultimo had fallen asleep against Yamato's chest. I bit the inside of my lip a bit. I wished I was him, I wished I was Ultimo more than anything in that moment. We all stood up from our seats, Jealous and I getting ready to go. Yamato and the two of us said our goodbyes, Ultimo sleeping in Yamato's arms. I tried not to let the envy I felt for him show as I bid Yamato goodnight, and Jealous and I left the Agari house.

Somehow, I _had_ to get what I wanted. I felt like I couldn't breathe without it.

The walk home felt like hours.

**YAMATO POV**

I walked up the stairs to my room, my eyelids feeling heavy already. No one ever told you how difficult it was to entertain guests; especially guests that had done plenty to each other to create grudges towards each other. But that was something to be worried about later.

Now it was time to sleep. I laid Ultimo down on the bed after pulling the blankets down, and I laid next to him carefully, so he wouldn't wake up. It felt strange to be doing this...But it made me undeniably, unquestionably, happy.

Pulling the blankets over us, I fell asleep fast, with a smile.


	4. Chapter 4

(Author's Note: EVERYONE I AM SO SO SORRY! IT HAS BEEN OVER HALF A YEAR! What a disgrace on my part...-bows- OTL Not to make excuses, but part of the reason I haven't updated for so long is the fact that in the area I live, the ULTIMO volumes aren't being released on time. There's 9 so far. If I had them all, I could write this fic accurately, which is a veeery important aspect of this fanfic for me! However, my area only has up to volume 6..which I own of course, but still...-mumble mumble mumble- BTW, guys, if some of you don't know, the karakuridouji like ultimo and jealous and all them, they can change their gauntlets into normal human hands, so don't think I made this up... ANYWAY! My most sincere apologies to my precious few but profoundly important readers and reviewers, I hope I haven't lost you all with my delay! Please enjoy this new chapter!

P.S. Be on the lookout for a new manga coming out online called AZF7!

**JEALOUS POV**

_Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock...ticktockticktockticktock... _I ran my hands, (my HUMAN hands, not my gauntlets, thank goodness...) over my eyes that, if they were able to, I am sure would have been bloodshot by now. That damned clock and it's incessant ticking! It was all ITS fault that I couldn't gather my thoughts, even though it was 3:30 A.M. According to the infernal time piece...or so I told myself.

But, I began to see that it was time to stop making excuses. I knew full well just _why_ it was I couldn't sleep, couldn't think, couldn't even _breathe_... I _knew_ that my master, sleeping in the next room, could not have eyes for me, and yet I could _not_ give up on my _own_ feelings. Plain and simple, I _needed_ my master. I _wanted _my master. I... did I _love _my master? Was it..._more _than just envy..? The more I thought about it, the more it made sense... and the more sick to my stomach I became, from raw nerves alone.

**YAMATO POV:**

_Warm..._

_ Warm..._

_ Waaaarm..._

… My bed...was NOT this warm.

I woke up quickly, looking around me to see if my mother had pulled some cruel, iron-fisted prank on me like leaving my bed on the roof so I'd get sunburned...I wouldn't put it past her...even thought it WAS winter...

A few quick glances proved that I'd gone through sleep untouched, though. Well...unscathed. Looking down at my waist, I realized that _untouched_...would not have been a very accurate description. The first thing I was greeted with was red. That bright, brilliant _blazing_ crimson that I recognized right away: Ultimo's hair. Around my waist, his arms were looped gently in a hug that held his petite frame veeery close to mine. I was not complaining.

_I should just stay like this all day..._

..._wait...I CAN stay like this all day, I have no school!..._

"Then we'll stay like this all day!" I stated out loud, like a king decreeing a new law. I felt proud of myself until I heard a noise from Ultimo. Looking down at him, I noticed he was awake...and...giggling.

"Yamato-sama..." He began, tightening his hold on me just the tiniest bit. "I would love to stay like this all day, but it would not be healthy for you to stay in bed all day, would it?"

I groaned, and Uru laughed some more. Was I _that_ funny..?

"Uru, I reeallly don't care about being healthy today, on my day off." I said, ruffling his hair, earning a squeak of surprise and another flurry of amused (delighted?) giggling.

"I'd stay in bed all week if I could..."

"Master is lazy." Ultimo laughed. "Yamato-sama will become bedridden at that rate!"

I shook my head with a half grin half smirk plastered on. "Uru, it's not 'cause I'm lazy that I'd stay in bed, thought I won't lie and say it wouldn't play a part...But seriously, I'd stay in bed, like this, for as long as I possibly could, just because of this." I said, pointing down.

Uru's emerald-colored eyes followed the direction I was indicating, and noticed I was talking about his arms. Which were _still_ around my waist. Again, _not_ complaining. His porcelain cheeks flared to the same color of his silken tresses, which made my smile grow even wider. I guess Ultimo noticed, because when I'd smiled, and not reprimanded him like he may have expected...though I don't know _why_ he'd expect that...he smiled as well, that brilliant, illuminating smile that emanated joy and purity, as he tightened his grip.

"Uru..." I asked, curious. "How come you change your gauntlets into hands when you sleep in my bed?" Ultimo blinked a second, as if the question had to sink in before he could answer.

"Yamato-sama, my gauntlets _are_ rather large...Uru just does not wish for Master to be uncomfortable..." he said. ...Was he being..._bashful_ now? I looked away for a moment -he was just too adorable like that- before returning my gaze to him. His eyes, those big, shimmering green eyes, were staring up at me, and his lower lip, smooth like the rest of his body, was doing this amazingly cute pouting thing...I just could not resist it, blame hormones if you have to I guess.

I leaned down and captured his lips with mine, astounded as always with how petal-soft they were, each shy touch of his lips like brushes of butterfly's wings on my own. He closed his eyes and let out a little whimpering sound, but not one of distress...was it...was it one of _desire_? From _Ultimo_? The ultimate good Karakuridouji seemed to notice the same thing, because he jolted a bit, pulling back and bringing up a slender hand to cover his mouth, his face bright, bright crimson.

"S-sorry, Yamato-sama! U-Uru should n-not have done..felt..wanted..a-anything like that...!" Ultimo stammered almost frantically. Was he really freaking out _this much _about a little sound..? I had to comfort him...I reached out my hands and gently cupped his face, internally chuckling at how not too long ago, I'd fantasized about doing the same to Sayama. Thoughts of her aside, more important ones of Uru taking their place, I spoke gently, almost as if speaking to a small, fragile crane, afraid it would be frightened and fly off.

"Uru...first off, you need to calm down, ok? You're going to make yourself sick." I said. Ok, I know that Karakuridouji _couldn't _ get sick, but I worried about him just the same. "But more importantly, you shouldn't feel guilty about a sound like that, or feeling along the same lines. Lust in and of it self, which is what I'm guessing you were feeling judging from your reaction, is not evil. I know that Desir of the evil Douji did some horrible things, but again, the Hyakki Eiko is over. Such strict boundaries between good and evil don't need to be made anymore. Really, the line between the two is very thin. Besides, you love me like you said you do, don't you?"

Ultimo nodded, still looking flustered and embarrassed, but not taking his gaze from mine.

"Ultimo does love Yamato-sama. With all of my...heart..." Ultimo said, hesitating over the word "heart," which made my own heart ache a bit. He was confused as to where his feelings originated, not...not being human himself...poor thing...

"But..." Ultimo began, but I cut him off, smiling to let him know I wasn't annoyed with him.

"But nothing," I said. "If you love someone, and they love you in return like you know I do, then feelings of lust are perfectly fine, so long as they do not end up replacing the love itself." I ruffled his hair again, his cheeks heating up again this time, and he looked to be still embarrassed, but not longer ashamed. Good. I finished consoling him by saying,

"Besides, Uru, I know _I _ was feeling the same things, if it means anything." That served to make his face even redder, making me wonder if it would eventually match his hair's shade perfectly. I laughed lowly at the thought.

**ULTIMO POV:**

How embarrassing, how...how shameful...Uru...Uru could _not_ feel those things, those tinglings and pulses and heats that somehow were cold at the same time...Those were not supposed to be part of Good Douji, lust was deplorable...wasn't it..?

But...but Yamato-sama's words, they were..true...definitely true...so was it..ok? Was it _alright_ to lust after one's own master, if a bond of love was shared? When put that way, it lost its...forbidden aura.

But Uru was still confused...no longer guilty over my feelings, but...I had never felt such things before, ever, even since Uru's creation. So how did one..._express _these things? And more importantly, how did one alleviate the staccato rhythm "beating" of one's "heart?"

Maybe Ultimo would have to ask Yamato-sama, no matter how _embarrassing_ it would be...

Looking up to pose the question to my master, I was cut off from having the chance; Yamato-sama gently pushed Uru down onto the bed, and descended onto my skin...his lips began touching electrifying kisses everywhere they could make contact...my composure never stood a chance.

**RUNE POV:**

Dammit...dammit...dammit...

I had found myself thinking along the same pattern far too recently as of late. YES, I was frustrated. YES, I wanted Yamato for myself! YES, I wanted to SHOW Yamato that I COULD BE JUST AS GOOD OF A LOVER AS ULT-

...My thoughts were cut off as I looked to my door. Jealous had quietly opened it with his human hands, making me curious as to _why_ he had changed from his gauntlets, but not overly so.

He walked swiftly towards me, and I quickly asked,

"Jealous, what are you-mmph!" I was just as quickly cut off when his surprisingly soft lips pressed over mine almost demanding in their placement. My eyes jumped open wide, I could feel it. This...I never expected this..._never_ expected this...this wasn't...! ...it wasn't...wasn't...so..bad...

When he pulled away from the kiss he initiated, he looked firmly into my eyes, as if trying to plainly display his emotions to me while reminding me he indeed could read my own feelings as well, and said with the utmost honesty,

"Master...I love you."


End file.
